Eggs and Bacon, Not.

If the illusory bacon and eggs tickled your fancy yesterday, then I have a variation on the theme for you today.

To make Eggs and Bacon in Flummery.
Take a Pint of stiff Flummery, and make Part of it a pretty pink Colour, with the Colouring for the Flummery, dip a Potting-pot in cold Water, and pour in Red Flummery, the thickness of a Crown Piece, then the same of White Flummery, and another of Red, and twice the thickness of White Flummery at the Top; one Layer must be stiff and cold before you pour on another, then take five Tea Cups, and put a large Spoonful of White Flummery into each TeaCup, and let them stand all Night, then turn your Flummery out of your Potting Pots, on the Back of a Plate wet with cold Water, cut your Flummery into thin Slices, and lay them on a China Dish, then turn your Flummery out of the Cups on the Dish, and take a Bit out of the Top of every one, and lay in half of a preserved Apricot; it will confine the Syrup from discolouring the Flummery, and make it like the Yolk of a poached Egg: Garnish with Flowers. It is a pretty Corner Dish for Dinner, or Side for Supper.
The Experienced English Housekeeper (1769), Elizabeth Raffald.

You don’t have to stop at bacon and eggs while you are in flummery-making mode. How about this offering, also from Elizabeth Raffald?

To make Cribbage Cards in Flummery.
Fill five square Tins the Size of a Card, with very stiff Flummery, when you turn them out, have ready a little Cochineal dissolved in Brandy, and strain it through a Muslin Rag, then take a Camel's Hair Pencil, and make Hearts and Diamonds with your Cochineal, then rub a little Chocolate with a little eating Oil upon a Marble Slab, 'till it is very fine and bright, then make Clubs, and Spades; pour a little Lisbon Wine into the Dish, and send it up.

What is flummery, do I hear you ask? Flummery is tomorrow’s topic, that’s what.


Quotation for the Day.

I have never regretted Paradise Lost since I discovered that it contained no eggs-and-bacon.
Dorothy Sayers.